Create Your Own Opportunity This Summer
Internship season can be tough—especially if you’re early in your college journey. It’s not always easy to land one, and sometimes, even when you do, it doesn’t quite align with your goals. But just because a company didn’t hire you this summer doesn’t mean you’re out of options. You have the power to create your own opportunity.
At the core, internships exist for three reasons:
To earn money
To learn new skills / experience
To build relationships and expand your network
If you can do those things, regardless of the job title, you’re on the right track.
Earn Money
If earning money is a top priority, take the job that’s most accessible to you. Fast food. Retail. Serving tables. Local opportunities are still opportunities. Making money this summer is a legitimate and respectable goal. You can build other parts of your internship experience around your work schedule. There’s nothing wrong with putting income first.
Learn Something New / Gain New Experiences
You can build and grow—without a formal internship.
Start with what you can learn and create right now. Our Startup Toolkit course is free and open to HBCU students who want to explore entrepreneurship and innovation. If you’ve got an idea, this is your space to start shaping it. You don’t need to know how to code to start building—tools like Bubble let you create apps or platforms with zero coding experience. The barrier to entry is much lower than you think.
And here’s something else to consider: get out of your usual environment—maybe even out of the country.
If you don’t already have one, make getting a passport your first step. That small blue book can open up a world of opportunity—literally. If you have friends who are international students, consider asking if you can visit them this summer. Often, visiting someone who’s local can help you save on housing and give you a deeper, more authentic experience.
If you’re traveling on your own, look into:
Budget airlines (like Norse Atlantic or PLAY)
Hostels or low-cost housing apps
Traveling with a friend to split costs
Skipping restaurants and cooking meals instead
Even one international trip can change the way you see the world—and yourself. You’ll gain confidence navigating new places, adapting to different cultures, and building relationships across borders. That kind of growth stays with you long after the trip ends.
Expand Your Network
This summer is a chance to stretch and be supported.
Spend time in rooms where you’ll meet people from different backgrounds, industries, and life experiences. These spaces can push your thinking, introduce you to new ideas, and help you grow in unexpected ways.
And just as important: make sure you’re also spending time in culturally affirming spaces—places where you feel seen, supported, and inspired to lead. These environments can build your confidence, sharpen your voice, and connect you with peers who share your lived experience.
Apply to attend:
HBCUvc Startup School (June 5–7, Palo Alto - Deadline: April 24th)
Black Tech Week (July 14 -16, Cincinnati - Early Bird Sales End April 30th)
2025 HBCU Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit (June 19th-June 21st, Washington, DC)
Each of these events is designed to nurture Black student founders and future investors. You’ll walk away with deeper knowledge, stronger connections, and a clearer sense of your path forward.
If you’re in one of our Founder Community cities, sign up for our Capital Access Communities. We built these intentionally as a way for you to plug into people and resources in your local ecosystem. You never know who you’ll meet—or who’ll be watching your growth from afar.
Signal Boost Your Experience
One of the most overlooked parts of an internship is the signal it sends to future employers.
So make it loud and clear:
Add it to your LinkedIn like a job title: Summer 2025 Independent Venture or Founder-in-Training, Personal Startup Project
At the end of the summer, write a short LinkedIn article or post about what you built, what you learned, and where you’re headed next.
That reflection won’t just help you—it’ll help future mentors, employers, and collaborators understand your drive.
Creating your own opportunity this summer is powerful.
It’s a chance to practice setting clear goals, taking initiative, and designing experiences that align with your vision. These are the same muscles you’ll use to launch companies, lead teams, and build lasting wealth.
Every step you take—whether it’s learning a new skill, traveling to a new place, or starting a personal project—is preparing you for what’s ahead. This is how you grow your confidence, expand your network, and shape a future that reflects your values and ambitions.
Treat this summer like the beginning of something bigger—because it is.
